Tacos have a huge presence in today’s society. Heck, they even have their own day – Taco Tuesday. However common a taco may seem, there is much debate about what makes the best taco. As the number one restaurant serving traditional Mexican cuisine in Nashua, NH, our family at California Burritos is jumping in on the fun by asking – should tacos be served with soft shells or hard shells?

The history of the taco.

To determine which way the taco is best served, one must first start at the roots. With this story, the taco places us sometime around 3,000 BC in ancient Mexican culture. It was then that civilization relied heavily upon the use of corn. With husk removed, corn kernels were ground to a fine dust and cooked into a tortilla. It is said that Moctezuma used these corn tortillas to scoop food that was prepared on hot stones.

Thus, the ‘tacos’ of history were far from what we consider a taco today. Instead, the taco shell was more of a folded item utilized as an edible utensil.

More modern times bring us to the 19th century, where Mexican silver miners take the scene. Many believe the “taco de minero” refers to gunpowder rolled in a paper that the miners used to excavate the minerals. While this has nothing to do with tacos, the wrap duplicates the tortilla wrap, or soft shell. However, these rolls were small, like a taquito. Either way, it was during this time in Cuautla that tacos made with chorizo, pork rinds, and various sauces took hold of the local communities.

Americanization of the taco.

Eventually, as Mexican immigrants entered America, the taco was introduced. Of course, Americans took a traditional recipe and added their own twist. From Los Angeles taco carts to Taco Bell, things sure did change. With these changes came the hard shell that possessed a longer shelf-life than soft shells.

So while history gives us the soft shell, the hard shell is an American tradition. So which is the best choice? As the number location for Mexican cuisine in Nashua, NH, our chefs at California Burrito will leave the choice up to you. Here, we offer our customers the finest fillings served exactly as they like. Whether soft or hard shell, corn or flour, California Burritos has your taco craving covered!

Visit us today at any of our four locations and experience the best tacos in the area!